龙岩市

Why this place

Longyan is where the Fujian tulou are concentrated — the round, walled communal houses that Hakka families built in the mountains, up to five storeys high, with a single entrance and all families facing an inner courtyard. They are a UNESCO site and unlike any other housing in the world.

What to see

• Hongkeng village, with the 'Prince of Tulou' Zhencheng Lou
• Chuxi and Tianluokeng — the four-round-one-square cluster
• The Hakka villages around Yongding, where people still live in the buildings
• Gutian, an important site in the modern history of the Chinese Communist Party

What to eat

• Hakka food: salt-baked chicken, stuffed tofu, preserved vegetables and rice wine
• Yongding beef balls and the local dried mustard greens

How to plan

Two days in the tulou country — one day for the Hongkeng cluster, one for Chuxi and Tianluokeng.

Best time

March–May and October–December

Practical tips

• Stay in a tulou guesthouse if you can; many accept guests and it changes the experience